Wave height

About: Wave height is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5920 publications have been published within this topic receiving 100257 citations.

The 21 May 2003 Tsunami in the Western Mediterranean Sea: Statistical and Wavelet Analyses

Abstract: We report the statistical and wavelet analyses of the 21 May 2003 tsunami produced by an Mw 6.8–6.9 thrust earthquake in the western Mediterranean Sea using 19 tide gauge records. The largest trough-to-crest wave height was 196 cm recorded at the Sant Antoni station in the lee of the incoming tsunami wave. Except at one station, the first wave was not the largest wave at all the analyzed stations, and the largest wave arrived several hours after the first arrival. In addition, the tsunami waves persisted for more than 1 day at most stations. As the spectra of coastal tide gauge stations are strongly influenced by topographic features, special care was taken here while interpreting the results of spectral and wavelet analysis. Our wavelet analysis shows that only a peak at around 23 min is persistent for long duration, and other peaks at 14, 30, 45, and 60 min appeared at short durations. The 23-min signal is possibly associated with the width of the source fault whereas the fault length contributed to the 45-min signal. Based on these dominant periods, the tsunami source dimensions are estimated as 95 km × 45 km. The statistical and wavelet analyses performed here provide some new insights into the characteristics of the tsunami that was generated and propagated in the western Mediterranean basin.

Intercomparison of the North Atlantic wave climatology from voluntary observing ships, satellite data and modelling

Abstract: Three different sources of the wave data - visual observations from the voluntary observing ships, wave hindcast from the WAM model driven by European Reanalysis Project winds, and the altimeter measurements from GEOSAT, TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS-1 are used for the intercomparison of the North Atlantic wave fields for the period 1979–1993 Climatological spatial patterns of significant wave height seen in all three products are consistent, although the actual quantitative values indicate both positive and negative biases of about 01 to 08 m Sea and swell heights are intercompared separately for the voluntary observing ship and WAM model data Best agreement between the visually observed data, the model hindcast and the altimeter measurements is obtained in the North Atlantic mid latitudes However, long-term wave height trends in the merchant ship and the WAM model data are quite different The nature of the differences in these estimates is discussed

Suitable Wave-Height Parameter for Characterizing Breakwater Stability

Abstract: The description of a sea state just by its variance spectral density and duration is not enough to analyze the stability of rubble- mound breakwaters, since it does not include an adequate characterization of the large waves in that sea state. Numerical simulation has been used to demonstrate that different time domain characteristics result from the simulation of a sea state solely defined by its spectrum and its duration. As a result, it is possible to obtain drastically different damage values on a given breakwater. A relationship between the groupiness factor and some extreme wave- height parameters such as H1/20 has also been illustrated by this numerical simulation. Because of these results, arguments for the use of a new wave parameter, which is based on the distribution of large wave heights, to characterize breakwater stability are made. This new parameter also accounts for the duration of the test. This paper may be helpful in explaining some of the variability found in the results of breakwater tests carried out by different laboratories.

A numerical study on the effects of wave–current–surge interactions on the height and propagation of sea surface waves in Charleston Harbor during Hurricane Hugo 1989

Abstract: The effects of wave–current interactions on ocean surface waves induced by Hurricane Hugo in and around the Charleston Harbor and its adjacent coastal waters are examined by using a three-dimensional (3D) wave–current coupled modeling system. The 3D storm surge modeling component of the coupled system is based on the Princeton Ocean Model (POM), the wave modeling component is based on the third generation wave model, Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN), and the inundation model is adopted from [Xie, L., Pietrafesa, L. J., Peng, M., 2004. Incorporation of a mass-conserving inundation scheme into a three-dimensional storm surge model. J. Coastal Res., 20, 1209–1223]. The results indicate that the change of water level associated with the storm surge is the primary cause for wave height changes due to wave–surge interaction. Meanwhile, waves propagating on top of surge cause a feedback effect on the surge height by modulating the surface wind stress and bottom stress. This effect is significant in shallow coastal waters, but relatively small in offshore deep waters. The influence of wave–current interaction on wave propagation is relatively insignificant, since waves generally propagate in the direction of the surface currents driven by winds. Wave–current interactions also affect the surface waves as a result of inundation and drying induced by the storm. Waves break as waters retreat in regions of drying, whereas waves are generated in flooded regions where no waves would have occurred without the flood water.